Hunt lead free SD

[WildWill]

This was sitting in the mailbox today. I found it a unique and effective way to ask someone to hunt lead free. What does everyone think?

 

[Sheltowee]

I went lead-free a couple of years ago and have been mostly pleased. Killed several deer with Barnes TTSXs in a .257 Ackley and four last winter with Hammer HHTs in my 25RPC. The Barnes gave one blood trail that Ray Charles could've followed and one that didn't leave a drop for 50-75 yards. The Hammers seem to create more internal damage (probably by virtue of the petals shedding) resulting in shorter track jobs but more sparse blood trails.

From what I gather, going lead-free is unlikely to have a population-level conservation effect outside of unique areas like the condor recovery zone. I just like the idea of ingesting less lead than more.

 

[Jnasa]

I like the idea. It is much better to have people voluntarily use lead free than mandates. I like the thought of offering a free box of ammo as incentive.

I primarily use mono's for the performance I have gotten out of them. The ecological impact wasn't even a consideration until recently. More of a nice benefit than primary driving factor.

I like having the choice of what I want to hunt with. I like the thought of giving people the choice to voluntarily try lead free ammo. Some people won't like it regardless. If you haven't tried mono/copper bullets I say use it to give them a try.

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Generally a fan of copper ammo. Been using it for hunting for about the last 5 or 6 years. Unless one subscribes to the grenading effect of a match/berger type bullet I see only benefits at most reasonable hunting distances (3-400 yards and in). The problem I have with those is when a hunter inevitably hits muscle - it's not pretty.

I think the marketing should take a step back. Why are we always saying "lead-free" and "lead-ban" etc.? I think better wording would be "a free box of copper-solid, controlled expansion, superior weight-retention ammunition" or some variation of those words. When we say "lead-free" I think it conveys a message that the hunter is now missing something (i.e. gluten-free, sugar-free etc.).

No hunter in their right mind would turn down a free box of ammo. If for no other reason than to see how it groups in ones rifle.

I also see this as a great marketing/partnering opportunity for copper bullet and ammo manufacturers.

 

[oxn939]

Great to see states catching on to this. AK has something similar now, referred to as the Alaska Copper Ammo challenge, as does AZ. All reimburse hunters for shooting lead free.

I've been shooting exclusively copper for almost a decade and have had universally excellent results with handloads and factory. One of the big complaints used to be that copper ammo was more expensive, but with post COVID inflation there's really not much of a difference between the cost of quality bonded hunting ammo and copper. With programs like these, the average "half a box a year" hunter would probably actually save a few bucks by going lead free.

 

[Wyoming270]

Why change what has worked for many decades?

If peak lethality from your rifle comes in the form of lead poisioning, you need to work on your shooting.

 

[F250]

NY has been doing this for a couple years. My wife and I took advantage of the offer. We are switching to lead free this year. We have a lease in NY. I expect that state will require lead free in the near future.

 

[mtmuley]

Why change what has worked for many decades?

If peak lethality from your rifle comes in the form of lead poisioning, you need to work on your shooting.

Well, not all of us can print 3" groups at 600 yards in a 20 mph crosswind with a bullet that has the bc of a brick. mtmuley

 

[NoWiser]

Why change what has worked for many decades?

Because there’s something better available now that wasn’t many decades ago, IMO.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I have been waiting for lead fragments to start killing off some of these damned black headed vultures for a decade.

No luck yet.

 

[WildWill]

I like having the choice of what I want to hunt with. I like the thought of giving people the choice to voluntarily try lead free ammo. Some people won't like it regardless. If you haven't tried mono/copper bullets I say use it to give them a try.

This is pretty much the way I feel!


Also to clarify for everyone I've killed several deer with TTSX and been apart of a lot more deer kills and one elk. In all honesty I prefer my Partitions just what I'm comfortable with. But I hunt a few areas where lead free is required and have a 243 sighted in with some ttsx. It's a good antelope gun and it's not like they're that tough to kill.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Wyoming has something similar. I've taken up their offer a few times. I think its a pretty neat program. We got offers again this year, but I feel slightly guilty cashing in for 8 boxes of ammo (four of us with qualifying licenses), when I like to shoot leaded bullets.

 

[turbobrick]

I just see going lead free as an extension of conservation. Game animals of all sizes die just as well with appropriate for cartridge monos as they do with cup and core, so there is no reason to leave a toxic mess on the landscape. I shoot coyotes all the time, but I don't want to see them dying slowly of lead poisoning, and I especially don't want to see any raptors doing that either.

 

[Wyoming270]

Because there’s something better available now that wasn’t many decades ago, IMO.

What is something better? More lethal? Does 300 win mag need better terminal ballistic performance?

 

[Wolfshead]

I started with monos last year, (Barnes ttsx) and hunted last season with them.
I live in NY, and I took advantage of their non-lead program, which gave me $60 back from my mono purchase. I have a strong feeling that NY will mandate them in the near future so I wanted to be ready.
I hunt 300 yards, and in with a 308, and was able to take a decent Buck with the ttsx’s.
I did not have to worry this time with tracking as he dropped where he was standing.
One thing that appealed to me was the lack of blood shot meat near the wound.
I’ll be using them again this season, and hopefully I’ll be able to give more results on how they work.
I support hunters choice, but I don’t think N.Y. will give us that choice in the future.

 

[BenP]

Why change what has worked for many decades?

I'm sure the people that used lead pipes said the same thing.

Sometimes it's not always about changing things because it's better in all matrixes but because it's better in some that matter more than others.

 

[Caseknife]

Why change what has worked for many decades?

If peak lethality from your rifle comes in the form of lead poisioning, you need to work on your shooting.

So do you take the WHOLE carcass from the field and bury what you don't consume? Think not. The lethality to raptors is in the fine lead particulates that remain in the gut pile. These minute particles build up in the birds and eventually it is lethal. It is not the same as consuming the bird shot from the thousands of ducks you have consumed over the years. I would like to just kill my target animal rather than additional unknown species.

 

[NoWiser]

What is something better? More lethal? Does 300 win mag need better terminal ballistic performance?

For me, personally, it’s less wasted bloodshot meat, no worries about my kids ingesting lead, and not poisoning raptors and other scavengers. I understand these may not be important to some, but they are to me.

 

[Wyoming270]

So do you take the WHOLE carcass from the field and bury what you don't consume? Think not. The lethality to raptors is in the fine lead particulates that remain in the gut pile. These minute particles build up in the birds and eventually it is lethal. It is not the same as consuming the bird shot from the thousands of ducks you have consumed over the years. I would like to just kill my target animal rather than additional unknown species.

I would be glad to read your source material on this.

 

[Wyoming270]

So do you take the WHOLE carcass from the field and bury what you don't consume? Think not. The lethality to raptors is in the fine lead particulates that remain in the gut pile. These minute particles build up in the birds and eventually it is lethal. It is not the same as consuming the bird shot from the thousands of ducks you have consumed over the years. I would like to just kill my target animal rather than additional unknown species.

Are the sharp copper particles more beneficial to their digestive system?

Is copper no longer considered a heavy metal?


Do your bullets not pass through the elk you shoot?

I shoot behind the shoulder through the heart. I dont eat bloodshot meat so getting lead in my meat is not possible. Lots of studies on people ingesting leadshot in birds point to it not making a notable difference in blood lead levels.


Coyotes eat my elk carcasses. So if i start shooting the carcass full of more bullets will this be an effective predator control technique?